Controlling mechanism for electrical vehicles.



F. G. MLCK. GCNTECLLINC MECEANISM ECR ELECTRICAL VEHICLES.

Patented May 19, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ii: ,Y Inf/fa of ,zofvz ang/5 APPLICATION FILED 0OT.16, 1909.

r. G. PBCK. GONTROLLING MECEANISM FOR ELECTRICAL VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 16, 1909.

- Patented May 19, 1914,

P. G. PECK. CONTROLLING MRGHANISM FOR ELECTRICAL VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 0T.16, 1909. 1,097,358. Patented May19,191fL 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

y' UNITED STATESLPATENT-0EE1CE. y

` 4recenseren denen, or EUEEALo, NEW Yom; Assistme, 4BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

To noreste ELECTRIC VEHICLE COMPANY, or Borrero, NEW ross,

cournotmne nnennmsm For, ELECTRICAL VEHICLES.

` Specification of Letters Patent.

Application ledctobcr 16, 1909,. Serial N o. 522,939.

Patented May 19', ISI-ft.

1T@ all whom, it' my concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. Priori, a subject of the King of Great Britain, resid- .ingl at Buiialo, in the count-y of Erieand State of New lYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement 1n Controlling i i f Mechanisms for Electrical Vehicles, of which .lfthe lfollowing is 'a specification.

` which storagebatteries are employed as-thel source of motive power.

The primary objects of the invention are to simplify thc handling of. such vehicles,

`V.and vto provide a controlling mechanism whereby the vehicle motor can be operated .t at different predetermined rates of speed and i whereby the speed of the vehicle can be regulaledto some extentor the power shut oil `and the brakes ,appliedI to stop the vehicle at anytime by the oper-ation 'of a single lever,

cells and the lield coils of the motor 'can be preferably a foot lever. y Y

The controlling' mechanism compmses a controller by means of which the battery connected in different combinationsto cause the motor to operate at different rates of speed, and in addition thereto a control switch by means oi which the resistance ot l the motor circuit can .be changed at any time irrespective of the speed for which the ,l controller is set, to thus regulate more or less the speed of the vehicle, or the circuit can be opened to shut oit the power. The

controller may be operated by a handle or lever located in. any convenient positionyfor instance, at the side of the 'drirers seat. The control switch is preferably operated by. a spring-actuated. foot lever which norinally holds the switch in the position in `which all resistance is cut out of the circuit,

and'whichreturns the switch to this position when the operator takes his Jfoot oit of the lever. Ars the foot lever is depressed, re-

. sistanceis gradnally'brought into' the circuit until finally the circuit is opened and .fthe current shut olf. To'start the Vehicle or change fromone speed to a higher speed, the opera tor' shores the foot lever to the open circuit position, sets Jthe controller lor then.

proper speed, and then allows the foot le ver to return` slowly and gradually cut out the resistance. The foot lever is also connected to the brakes in such manner that thevbattery and field combinations for the several forward and reverse speeds secured by the different adjustments of the controller.

Like Inference characters refer to like parts in the several figures. 1

A, Fig. 2,"represents the armature and A A2 the ield windings of the vehicle mot-or, and B and B the cells of the storage battery which are arranged, as usual, in the front and rear portions of the vehicle.

:C and. C represent respectively the `movable and stationary members of the con- (roller by which the necessary electrical connections are established for causing the 1notor to run at different rates of speed. This controller ymay be of any usual or. suitable construction and it maybe located under the drivers seat and operated by a handle o at one side .of the seat, as shown, or otherwise, as desired. The operation of controllers of this sort is well known and it is suilicient for the purpose of this invention to briefly describe the operation as follows: The stationary member C offthis controller is provided with a' series of 'contacts numbered 1-14 in Fig; 2, and the movable member or drum C is provided with'co-perating contacts arranged thereonA in rows which are designated respectively Oli 1st, 2nd,

3rd, 4th, 5th, and Reverse, see

Fig. Q. When the controller drum is in the charging or stand-still position the contacts Y nefthc row designated Oil'l coperate with u tlie'stationary contacts 6-11, 13 and 14 and the motor is disconnected -from the battery ,n

to theleads d el from the charging block D., where the terminals from the generator or source of supply are attached for charging the battery. i v

When the controller drum is swung to the and all of the cells are connected in' series f first speed position, the drum contacts in the row designa-ted 1st coperate with the stationary contacts to establish connections as shown in the diagram, Fig. 3.. The cells of the battery are then connected in three groups, which groups'creconnectedjin multiple or parallel, end the motor fields are else connected in multiple. By this errfingenien"t one third of the maximum battory voltage is obtained and the Imotor runs et its slowest speed.

By throwing the controller drum to the second speed position, the drum contacts in the row marked 2nd coperatie with the stationary contact and the cells ere then connected in two groups and the fields are connected in series, es shown in the diagram,

Fig. 4f. Thus one-heli or the maximum oatteryvvoltage is obtained, but es the heide ere connected Hin seriesl a lower speed is produced with the carne volta e than if the fields were connected in nareileli v In the third speed position,` in which the drinn contacts in the 3rd row cooperate with thestetionary contacts, the connections which are shown in the diagram, Fig. 5, difkals fer from those in the second speedposition only by having the elds connected, in multiple instead of in series.. The speedwill con sequently be somewhat geeter than 'the second speed. 'V l By throwing the controller over to the lith speed position, the connections are' mede as shown in the diagram, Fig. 6.l The cells are then all in series so es to give the maximum battery voltage. The fields ere again connected in series so that the maxi? the armature terminal connections are re versed,as shown in the diagram, Fig. 8.

E represents the control switch, which has a series of contacts c connected toresistnnce means e and e. contact erm e2 which is movable from one to the other of ssid"contacts e and isconnected by conductors f and 7" to the contacts of the controller C C so that it willalways bein series with the motor circuit irrespective yof the-adjustment of the controller for one 'or another speed of the motor. l

The control switch E may be of any suitable\construction and located in a convenientl position, bt its movable arm e2 is pref- 4within reach of the drivers foot.

erably connected to e foot lever @imei-ted he switch arm may lie connected to the 'foot lever by yrodsg and gcnd en intervening Loonse@ roel: erm g2, or by any other suitable connections. spring H connected to enysnit-V sible part. of theconnections normally holds the foot lever in the retracted or rearward' in Fig. E.

in starting the vehicle and in changing from one speed to the next, the foot lever is first shoved forward so es to more the itch Aerin c2 to the position indicated by broken to the controller C C by simply shoving the foot lever forwardly to' throw the controller switch to the open circuit position. The foot lever is connected to the vehicle brakes, one of which is indicated et l: in Fig. l, by any snitsble connections whereby a further forward movement of 'the lever after the motor circuit has been opened will set the brakes. As shown, the roch erm. g2, to which the footv lever is connected, is connected by a slottedv lnl Il; to one erin of e roch: shaft' it which has another erin connected by e. llinh: k2 to vthe brake. The slotted linlr Fcprovides :i lost motion connection between the toot lever and the brake,

which allows the described operation of 'the foot lever to shut ed the power without opereting the bra-lie. When it is desired to stop the vehicle the foot lever is shoved forwardly to its limit which first moves the erm e2 of the control switch to increese the resistance in the motor circuit and iinslly open the circuit, and then sets the brakes.

The described controlling mechanism en- :ibles the operator to control the speed of the vehicle and shut off the power end apply the brakes by a simple movement of the one foot lever and without any manipulation of the speed controller, thus leaving his hands free to steer the vehicle or to operate his signals.

This is e great advantage, especially in the event of on emergency when it is Anecessary to stop the vehicle quickly, es the operator has only one thing to do, that is, to shove the foot lever, and the danger of occident'by reason of the operator becoming confnsed is greatly' lessened. Another advantage is that, owing to the action of 'the return spring vH for the foot lever, the lever normally ion frequently necessary lo repeatedly reduce the speed for sliorl distances and then quickly increase Athe same to avoid collision or interference with other vehicles. These sudden changes in speed can all be easily eifected by the oiiie'lation of the foot lever and the simplicity of this operation is suoli that no special skill or experience is .required in driving the vehicle,

l claim as my invention:

In a controlling mechanism for` electricalv oliicles, the Combination with an electric motor having a iield winding consisting of a plurality of coils, al battery consisting .of a plurality Vof eells7 and electrical connections,'

olf a. liand-opemted controller Whieli is atl justalwleto diferent positions for connectingz,r the ehl coils and cells in dierent groups -for varying' the rate of speed of the motor, e central switch and connections for varying the resistance in the motor circuit and opening the motor circuit irrespective of the edjustinent of said controller, e. brake, a foot applying the brake, and Va lost motion connection between said foot lever and saicl brake, whereby the foot lever een be used for controlling the speed of the' vehicle, Without applying seid brake, substantially as setforth.

litness my hand, this 8th day of October,l '1909. l

FREDERICK G. PECI.

Witnesses EDWARD C. HARD,

ADELINE L. MCGEE.

lever for actuating said control switch and 

